Tumblr Prompts
by the-notsoevil-queeen
Summary: A collection of prompts received on tumblr, mostly Outlaw Queen, but occasionally Wicked Queen, Swan Queen, Regal Believer, or Dimples Queen. Will be updated with new chapters as I post them on tumblr. All vary in theme and placement in the Once timeline.
1. OQ: You Love Me Right?

A/N: _Missing Year, before casting the dark curse. Diverges from canon, Zelena adds the memory spell before Charming is killed._

 _Prompt: Outlaw Queen + "You love me, right?"_

* * *

The cauldron bubbled and smoked in front of her, filling her lungs with a familiar purple air that was thick, like breathing in water, and smelled of something burning. Of something dark and evil.

All that was left was the heart, though they could add the final ingredient whenever they decided the time was right. At least at this point, Regina had held up her end of the bargain. Now all she had to do was wait for Snow and Charming to finish their final preparations for their return to Storybrooke, and for Snow to tell her it was time to rip out Charming's heart.

Her chest tightened as she watched the green and purple magic oozing in the cauldron. The thought of what was in everyone's near future constantly nagged at her, making her stomach roll with anxiety. It was the uncertainty that gnawed at her, thanks to her wicked sister's forgetting spell, now that they were doomed to return to Storybrooke without their memories _again_. Would they forget who they were entirely? Their time here? Their time in Storybrooke before?

She couldn't forget Henry, not when she would be so close to finding him, closer than she'd ever thought she'd be again. Her heart had jumped at the idea of finding Emma and Henry, that her nightmare would finally end when she could hold her son again, that she'd no longer wake screaming in terror, clinging to Robin while she waited for the waves of fear to subside.

 _Robin_. Oh god, how she couldn't forget him either. He had become a part of her, her soul mate, always by her side, supporting her and encouraging her, yet reminding her when she was being stubborn or petty, often with a stupid grin plastered to his face as he did so.

She needed him in Storybrooke, she would be alone again and she couldn't take it; she didn't want to give up yet another person she loved. She was comforted knowing that he would have Roland, that sweet little boy she had grown to love as her own. She would be losing him too, and all of their precious time together; baking pies, walking in the forest, her bedtime stories and her lullabies, all of it would be gone, and Regina would have never existed to her little knight.

Those two boys had won the Queen's broken heart, and helped to mend it in ways she never thought were possible. How could she lose them? The pain was unimaginable. Though she supposed she wouldn't know what she was losing…

Snow rushed in then, the loud boom of the doors making Regina jump and turn to her former stepdaughter, shooting daggers from her eyes. She stopped once she saw the wetness on Snow's cheeks, and her heart ached for the younger woman. She knew the pain that Snow was about to endure, she had done it herself 30 years ago and the wound still sunk deep even to this day.

"We're almost ready, and everyone is really anxious downstairs."

 _Everyone's anxious in here too,_ Regina thought, gripping her stomach as she started pacing circles in front of Snow. "Okay, if you're ready, get Charming and let's do this."

"Regina wait," Snow grabbed her arm, halting her next step. "You haven't moved from this room since Zelena added her spell to the curse. Don't you want to say goodbye?"

Her breath hitched as Snow slid her hand down to Regina's. Her eyes stung and she dropped her gaze to the ground. "It's not like I won't see him again. We're all going to Storybrooke together."

"But you won't know who he is, you should talk to him." Snow squeezed her hand lightly, and she placed her fingers under Regina's chin to push her focus back up. "Go tell him how much you love him right now, you don't know when you can again."

Regina breathed deeply only to exhale quickly, nodding and giving Snow a watery smile before she rushed out of the room.

:::

She found him in his chambers, propped up on his bed next to a sleeping Roland, who was curled into his blankets and pillows happily. For a moment she wished he were awake, that she could say goodbye to her little knight, but in her heart she knew it was better this way. He'd never know what had happened. Robin lifted his head as she entered slowly, and he jumped up to meet her across the room, taking her hands in his immediately.

"You're doing it soon?" He watched her carefully, his eyes a raging blue sea, soaking in every inch of her face as she nodded solemnly.

"Charming and Snow are almost ready. So I just wanted to…" Her mouth dried as she tried to finish her sentence, the words trapped in her throat. "To…"

She wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him into her, locking his lips to hers. He pulled her closer, sliding one hand around her waist while the other tangled in the long dark curls that hung down her back. The were gentle at first, pressing all of the unspoken words of affection into each other, before deepening the kiss, sliding tongue against tongue in one last moment of weakness and lust. They broke apart breathless, and pressed their foreheads together as they stood clinging to each other, neither willing to let go.

She wanted to tell him, she wanted to say the words that she hadn't dared to say yet. The weight of saying it was too much, it pulled at her heart and made the pain too real, she had already opened herself to falling in love with him, but _saying it_ when she had to leave him, it made her feel like it was too late. She waited too long, had been too afraid of letting herself accept his love to tell him how she loved him too, _oh how she loved him_. The words sat on the tip of her tongue; the pain of holding them back brought tears to her eyes.

 **"You love me right?"** It was Robin who whispered hoarsely, the words pushing through the sadness welling in the back of his throat. "I'm being selfish, I know I shouldn't push you, I just… if I never see you again…"

"I love you, Robin." She whispered, barely there but it was enough, and he heard her. "I love you more than I ever thought I could." She tucked her head into the crook of his neck, breathing deeply, enjoying the scent of forest one last time.

"I love you, Regina. And I will find you again. I promise." His fingers ran through her hair, his firm grip on her waist never ceasing until there was a gentle knock on the door behind them. She clenched her fists into his shirt, the knot in her stomach tightening while silent tears slipped from her closed eyes.

"Don't forget me." She breathed into his skin, her wet cheeks brushing against his neck before she pulled away.

"I wouldn't dream of it."


	2. OQ: No One's Ever Defended Me Before

_A/N: Set during the Missing Year_

* * *

A shiver ran up Regina's spine as the cool fall breeze rushed through her cloak and the thin dress underneath, and she glanced over at Robin, grateful that he didn't notice her shaking. She silently reminded herself to dig out her winter wardrobe when she got back to her room; the plunging neck lines and leather pants may look excellent, but there was nothing regal about uncontrollable shivering.

The sun was setting behind the mountains in the distance, meaning that Regina was almost done her turn watching the grounds with the thief. They had stood wordlessly for the past hour, after his attempts at small talk did nothing but irritate Regina, and she couldn't wait to get these damn heels off.

A loud explosion cracked through the silence, startling them both, and Regina fell to her side towards Robin, who quickly wrapped his arms around her to steady her.

"Let go of me, thief!" She pulled herself out of his grip quickly, ignoring the flare in her stomach from his contact, "I'm fine."

"You're welcome," He huffed and rolled his eyes at her, turning to face where the sound had come from, "What the hell was that?"

"Guess we better find out." She flicked her wrist and enveloped both of them in a cloud of purple, moving them to the forest where she assumed the sound have come from. When the smoke cleared they faced the Merry Men's camp, where they had insisted on living after Snow had offered them rooms in the castle. No way am I living with the Evil Queen, some had said.

The camp was a disaster, tents blow down, trees fallen, clothes and dishes thrown about the camp, and a large dent in the ground where they usually ate their meals. People were standing everywhere, though no one seemed injured. It looked like someone set out to make a mess, not actually hurt anyone. Weird…

What the hell was the point in this, Zelena? Regina wondered.

"What the hell happened?" Robin ran forward and yelled to anyone who could hear him, and Little John ran to him from the chaos.

"Something came from the sky, it looked purple, and hit the ground, over there," he pointed to the small crater in the middle of the camp, "And it exploded, knocking everything down. It looked like magic." He spat, eyes shifting to Regina over Robin's shoulder as she walked towards them.

"Was anyone hurt?" Robin asked quickly, regaining Little John's attention, who shook his head.

"How could this happen? What happened?" Robin asked no one in particular, looking around the camp at the havoc, trying to make sense of the mess.

"Why don't we ask the Queen," Little John slid his gaze to Regina, and she watched as Robin's body tensed beside her. It all clicked in Regina's mind, Zelena wanted them to turn on her. Classic.

"Oh please, the last thing I want to do is mess up your little camp in the woods." She rolled her eyes, though Little John continued to stare at her.

"You have always had it out for us, why would now be any different?" Little John accused, stepping towards Regina. Robin quickly stepped in front of him, blocking his path to her.

"That's enough, John," he said sternly, "It wasn't Regina. She was with me."

"How do you know for sure?" Little John looked at Robin, anger lacing his voice. "She's a witch, she could do anything right under your nose and you wouldn't know it!"

He looked back at Regina, hatred filling his eyes, and pointed at her, "She's a monster-"

"I said that's enough!" Robin's almost yelled, causing Little John to take a step back. Robin narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to his friend, pushing him away from Regina forcefully. Her body froze as she watched him intimidate the larger man, her eyes bouncing back and forth from Robin's fuming figure to Little John backing away from him.

Robin lowered his voice, almost growling, "The Queen is innocent and you will never accuse her of anything of this sort again, do you understand?"

Little John lowered his gaze and nodded once, forcing his eyes up to Regina as he mumbled, "My apologies, your Majesty."

He looked back at Robin, who was still shooting daggers from his eyes, and turned on his heels back towards camp. Regina could almost hear him muttering something about blinded by love and what a fool as he stalked away.

Regina stared at Robin in front of her, who was recovering from his outburst. He turned to face her, his eyes finding hers, and he registered the bewilderment on her face. He scrunched his brow and stared at her frozen form. "What?"

"I…" Regina started, dropping her gaze to his feet, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. "No one's ever defended me before."

"No one?" Robin frowned, stepping closer to her, narrowly reaching out for her hand before stopping himself. Her stomach jumped when she saw the twitch of his hand and she cursed herself wordlessly for wanting his hand in hers.

"Well, except maybe Henry." Her eyes were watering, and she fought her desire to look back up at him, afraid of him seeing her tears.

"Thank you," She said quickly, shaking off her momentary weakness and regaining her regal composure. Her heart raced in her chest as she met his gaze, concern clear on his face. He shouldn't be concerned about her, why would he care so much? Her heart jumped at the idea of him caring for her, of someone so honourable and fair being concerned about the great and terrible Evil Queen's feelings. How impossible. How wonderful…

"You know, I think that's the first time you've thanked me for anything," He cocked an eyebrow at her and grinned, relaxing his posture to something more relaxed and playful. He was always teasing her, and god how it drove her crazy. But now she couldn't play back, she was too overwhelmed with emotions that she was fighting against, pushing down as far as she could.

"I meant it," she said quietly, making him frown again. "Thank you."

His eyes danced around her face trying to read her expression, and she felt exposed to him, heat rushing to her cheeks. He stepped forward again, and this time he did reach out for her hand.

"Regina…"

Before his fingers could graze her's she turned away from him, silently walking away back towards the castle. She pushed her hand against her stomach, willing the knots in it to subside. As she focused on her steps, trying to walk evenly in her high heels across the uneven forest floor, she heard his voice behind her, distant and not meant for her ears.

"A fool indeed…"


	3. WQ: I Could Have Used Someone Like You

_A/N: Written before 5x16, Zelena comes to the Underworld and admits to Regina that she loved Hades, who betrayed her._

* * *

"Oh god, I'm such an idiot."

"You said it, not me."

Regina passed a large warm mug to Zelena's shaking hands, ignoring how she rolled her eyes. She'd finally stopped her whimpering and now silent tears flowed from her eyes as she stared blankly in front of her place on the couch. Regina sat next to her, far enough as to not accidentally touch her, clutching her own mug while Robin busied himself in the kitchen with the Charmings.

This was a new side of Zelena, one Regina didn't expect to exist, though she was glad it did. A flicker of guilt fluttered her stomach from being snarky to her sister while she was so heartbroken. Despite her pain right now, admitting that she had loved Hades gave Regina hope that her sister could learn to love again, that maybe she could find happiness with her child, who was sleeping in a quickly built crib beside the bed across the room.

She watched as her sister dropped her eyes to the mug held firmly in her hands, hiccupping quietly as she continued to cry quietly.

"You're not an idiot, Zelena," Regina murmured. The redhead's eyes flew up, bloodshot and puffy from her tears, making the electric blue of her iris stand out. Regina felt her face soften as she sighed. "Honestly, I'm impressed with you."

Zelena scoffed, furrowing her brow and rolling her eyes again.

"I'm serious," Regina said gently, surprising her sister with her sincerity. "I don't know you well, but I know that you and I are a lot alike, and I didn't expect this from you."

Zelena looked up again, slower this time, sadness filling her eyes rather than disbelief, and she turned her self slightly to face the younger woman. "What do you mean?"

"We've live similar lives, in a way. We both were forced into a life we didn't deserve, we both lived for revenge, and we've both made some questionable choices." Regina raised her eyebrows, looking over to Snow and Robin who were working quietly in the kitchen. She was sure that they were listening, but continued anyways.

"I didn't want to be queen, I wanted freedom. I wanted love. But I spent so long trying to destroy everything that made me angry that eventually all I had was anger. I didn't know how to love anymore. But you..." Zelena was watching her intently as she spoke, subconsciously scooting closer to her sister on the couch. "You loved _while_ you were angry. That's something I could never have done, not with the strength that you did."

Regina smiled softly as Zelena's eyes danced around her sister's face. Finally she shrugged, relaxing into the couch, "Oh please, you have the heart of the most resilient, you can't seriously be impressed by anything I've done."

"And why not?"

Zelena shifted awkwardly, unable to keep her usual bitter undertone in her voice. "I've seen you with your son, you broke your own curse by kissing him, even without your heart in your chest. You love so _purely_ , it doesn't compare to me." Regina watched Zelena slump, sorrow pulling her face down in a way she'd never seen. "I'm a fool, loving someone like Hades."

She was truly vulnerable right here, in this moment, and for the first time Regina thought she was truly seeing her sister. She took a risk and reached out to Zelena, lightly wrapping her hand around the other woman's wrist. She flinched at the contact but didn't pull away, and they locked eyes as Regina smiled at her softly.

"Love is different for everyone. I'd say that you have a capacity for love that none of us ever considered. Despite what our mother thought, _love is strength_ , and I think it's very strong of you to love someone so… unlovable. I could have used someone like you in my past."

The disbelief was clear on Zelena's face, her eyes still watering, though the tears had slowed and she had caught her breath. She shook her head slowly, never moving her attention away from the brunette in front of her. "Why are you doing this?" She whispered, forcing through the tightness of her throat. "I don't deserve this."

"Neither did I," Regina reminded, glancing at Snow once more, "But forgiveness can go a long way when you can see into someone's heart." She squeezed her fingers gently, watching as Zelena's eyes flashed a mix of love and confusion.

The still air was interrupted but a shrill cry from across the room, and everyone turned to look towards Ellie's crib. Regina told everyone that she'd get it, deciding to leave Zelena alone to her thoughts. She wasn't sure whether or not she'd ever get through to her sister, but as she walked back to the kitchen, bouncing the tiny girl in her arms, Zelena surprised her and called out to her. She looked torn and confused, as if she was fighting with her emotions before she frowned slightly, watching Regina and her daughter.

"Regina, I…. I could have used someone like you, too."


	4. SQ: You're Gay?

_A/N: Based off of a personal head canon that Regina is bisexual. Not intended to offend anyone who thinks that she or Emma is gay._

* * *

 ** _"You're gay?!"_**

"Shh!" Regina hissed through gritted teeth, eyes darting to the doorway between the kitchen and the living room, where Robin, Killian, and Charming were sitting, chatting amongst themselves quietly. She turned back to the few dishes in her hands that she had been rinsing off, rolling her eyes as Emma and Snow stared into the back of her head.

"I'm not _gay_ ," Regina whispered harshly, drying her hands and turning towards the two women sitting in front of her. She leaned back on the kitchen counter, gripping the edge firmly, squeezing as the knot in her stomach tightened.

"But you just said, with Maleficent-"

"It's complicated," Regina cut in, "And besides, we don't use labels like that in the Enchanted Forest. You just kind of… love who you love. We don't talk about it. So drop it." She dropped her eyes to the floor as she grabbed her drink from the counter beside her, sliding into a seat at the kitchen table across from Emma and next to Snow. She drummed her fingers on the rim of the glass, ignoring how Snow's eyes flickered up to her repeatedly.

"Regina, it's okay," Emma muttered, "I wasn't judging you. I'm just…. Surprised."

Regina looked up at the blonde who was smiling softly at her, and it was true, not a hint of judgment filled her eyes. "Why do you care?"

"It's interesting," Emma paused, her eyes darting as her thoughts wandered. "It's not every day that Maleficent and the… Queens of Darkness, or whatever you want to call them, stroll into town. And now I hear that you have a "past" with one of them?" Emma raised an eyebrow, and looked over to her mother before grinning at Regina. "I'm intrigued to know how that happened."

Regina scoffed and looked down at the drink in her hands, twirling it lightly to watch the amber liquid swirl around the glass. "It's not that interesting of a story. I met Mal at a… difficult time in my life." She tilted her head up slightly, locking eyes with Snow beside her and slightly grimacing as she admitted, "I had just married the king, and I was…. Lonely."

Snow seemed to process what she'd just heard, and her eyes widened. "Wait, so you were-" Regina shot her a warning look and she stopped before the _sleeping with_ could pass over her lips, " _getting to know_ Maleficent… while you were married to my father?"

Snow looked between Emma and Regina, flustered and at a loss for words. Regina shrugged, and took a sip from her glass.

"I just had no idea," Snow breathed, sitting back in her chair. Emma looked to her mother, guilt passing over her face from pushing the subject to this point, and glanced back at Regina, who looked surprisingly comfortable.

"It wasn't like that at first," Regina said softly, winning Snow's attention again. "She taught me magic, listened to me, helped me when I was feeling trapped. She was the only friend I had for a long time. And then years later things just… changed." She focused on the table, on the dead air between them, as she lost herself in the memories floating across her mind. Looking back up at Emma she took a long breath and exhaled quickly, letting her shoulders sag slightly.

"So yeah, I guess I did love her." Her face softened as she looked at her friend across the table, tension releasing from her shoulders at her confession. "I wouldn't call myself gay, but my past with Mal is a part of me, so I'm something I suppose. I never really thought about it."

Snow smiled as she looked up at her former stepmother, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. The three sat together in silence for a moment before a roar of laughter from the other room broke the still air.

Looking up over Emma's head, Regina could see Robin in the living room on the couch next to Killian, holding his side as he laughed. Her heart swelled as she watched him, the crinkles at his eyes and the dimples in his cheeks catching her eye. As he caught his breath he looked up and noticed her watching him, and flashed her a charming smile before turning back to Killian to continue their conversation.

Regina smiled to herself, and continued to gaze at him as she whispered, "But I'm definitely not gay."


	5. OQ: Lift Kisses and Second Chances

_Prompt: Outlaw Queen + Lift Kiss_

* * *

The air was damp and surprisingly cold for the middle of spring; it brought a certain freshness to the breeze, the normal briny sea air covered by the smell of the earth, rich even in the center of town. It smelled clean, like new life. No, _like forest_. Damn it.

The sky gloomed overhead, dark and brooding, threatening to turn into a raging storm at any moment, though Regina held a constant spell at the back of her mind, keeping the waves of rain at bay. Today wasn't a day she wanted to be soaked to the bone.

Something fell lightly on top of Regina's head, and she cursed as she looked up at a guilty looking Emma, who was balancing on top of a rickety ladder in front of Granny's while lifting the string of lights that had fallen on the brunette's head.

"Sorry Regina, I thought you were ready for the next set."

Regina shook her head and reached up to grab the bundle of lights. "Sorry, I was… distracted."

"Yeah, I can tell," Emma huffed, stepping up higher to reach the next cord attached to the building, "What's going on?"

"It's nothing," Regina said quickly, detangling the mess of lights that Emma had handed her and rolling them up neatly, "Why didn't we take these lights down months ago? It's almost May."

"Why are you even asking? You know why." Though she couldn't see her, Regina knew that Emma was rolling her eyes. Of course Regina knew; the Underworld, Hades, Zelena, Robin… too much had been going on at once to have any kind of normal life for the past few months. It was impressive that they had hung Christmas lights in the first place.

Emma tugged at the lights forcefully, and when they detached easier than expected she rocked back on the ladder. Regina reached up to steady her and held onto the ladder firmly while Emma finished up.

"Anywhere else after this?" Regina asked impatiently. "Maybe you can stop risking your life on this piece of crap and we can remove them with magic?"

"Just the clock tower," the blonde replied happily, too happily for Regina's short temper. "And I don't think the ladder's tall enough for that one so yes, _your Majesty_ , we'll use magic."

"Thank god." Regina sighed as Emma stepped down from the ladder slowly, another tangled bunch of lights draped over her arm.

"Are you okay? You seem… snarkier than usual."

Regina looked at her friend, raising an eyebrow warning _no, I don't want to talk about this_. She turned and busied herself with the box that was holding the already organized lights while Emma exhaled loudly, handing her the last of the cords she held.

"Regina I know this is hard for you, but you haven't talked to anyone about it, and you can't keep throwing yourself into work to distract yourself-"

"Yes I can," Regina snapped, refusing to look at the blonde.

Emma stepped closer to her friend, extending a hand to try and comfort her before a loud screeching interrupted the still air, and both women looked up to see David's truck whipping around a corner before skidding to a stop in front of the diner.

"What the hell is going on?!" Emma yelled as David hopped out of the drivers seat, sprinting around the truck to open the passenger door for Snow. Both of them looked frantic and oddly excited.

Emma stepped towards her parents, though both of them stared at Regina, beaming at her. Movement over their shoulders caught Regina's eye, and she shifted to look at the third person sliding out of the truck. She wasn't sure if she noticed his sandy hair, his ocean blue eyes, or his dimples first, but there was no mistaking who was stepping out of the truck. He looked battered and exhausted, a few long gashes across his cheeks and temples, and a nasty purple bruise on the side of his neck, but he still shot a devilish grin at Regina.

It wasn't possible. It couldn't be.

"Robin?" Regina breathed. Her feet felt rooted in place, and though she wanted to run to him she was glad she couldn't. This wasn't right, this wasn't Robin. It couldn't be. She'd watched his body being buried a few weeks ago…

His smile fell when he noticed the scepticism on her face, and he stepped forward slowly, as if he was afraid to spook her any further. "Regina," was all he said, his voice hoarse as if he hadn't used it much, or perhaps used it too much in the weeks that he'd been gone.

She could hear David saying something about Robin showing up at the loft after finding no one at Regina's house, but she barely registered it over a crack of thunder overhead. Her eyes were glued to the man stepping closer to her, his eyes shining with a million unspoken words, his smile returning to his face as he stopped a few feet in front of her.

"Robin's dead." Her eyes stung and her chest tightened, never able to get enough air into her lungs. She watched as he reached out slowly, taking one of the hands pressed firmly to her stomach and holding it between his own. His hands felt like his hands, and his eyes looked like his eyes.

"I'm not dead, love."

"Prove it." Her voice shook, her hand trembling in his firm grip while his thumb caressed her soft skin. "Prove you're Robin."

His brown knitted for a moment, his eyes dropping as he racked his mind. Then in an instant they shot back up, locking onto her watery whiskey eyes.

"When we first met, _the first time_ ," he nodded to her, and she squeezed his hands involuntarily, "We broke into your castle, and you were grieving the loss of your son. And I told you _we all get a second chance, Regina_. Do you remember?"

She nodded slowly, her eyes dancing around his battered face, taking in his every feature; the stubble along his jaw, longer than she'd ever seen it, the tangled chestnut hair, the striking blue of his eyes, and those dimples. It was him.

"How do you feel about a third chance?"

She choked and gasped as a few stray tears fell down her warm cheeks, and she laughed as he moved to catch them before they fell. Another crack of thunder sounded overhead, and a drop of rain fell on Robin's cheek, then another on Regina's nose. He pressed his forehead to hers as he pulled her close. Regina was sure she heard something from the Charmings about leaving them alone, but she couldn't care.

 _"You're alive."_

He laughed and hugged her closer, his own tears falling as quickly as hers, mixing with the cold rain that fell sparingly. "I couldn't leave you without a fight, could I?"

She locked her lips onto his as one final crash of thunder released a heavy wave of rain, instantly drenching them. He slid his hand to lock belong her rear and lifted her off her feet, spinning her as the water beat down on them. She kissed him with all the passion she had inside her, every emotion she had harboured for weeks falling out of her into him as quickly as the showers fell around them.

Finally he set her back on her feet, too soon for Regina, but in the end it didn't matter. She'd have more time for this, more time than she'd ever thought she'd get again. For the moment they stood clinging to each other, their sobs silenced by the roaring of the water pelting the ground.

The air felt different, lighter in some way, wet pavement taking over the scent of earth or even the salt from the sea. It smelled like forest, but now for a whole different reason.


	6. OQ: the Fairest of Them All

_Prompt: Outlaw Queen and wedding planning_

* * *

"UGH!"

Regina groaned as she tugged at the zipper stuck between her shoulder blades. After an entire day of trying on dresses, there was nothing she wanted more than to get out of this one. Snow had dragged her at the crack of dawn to the first on a long list of stores she wanted to visit, throwing dress after dress into Regina's arms. Silk, lace, satin, A-lines, mermaids, ball gowns (the worst of all), the pile of insanity never ended. Constant zipping, tugging, and standing for Snow to scrutinize the fit of every dress while Emma laughed from her seat behind them, that had been Regina's day. And now, the final dress to be removed and she couldn't get the damn thing off.

Fed up, she sighed and waved her hand, encircling herself in a purple cloud.

"Thank god," she said to no one, examining the dress now in her hands before throwing it to the floor of her closet. Too exhausted to bother putting on other clothes, she flopped on top of her bed in nothing but her underwear. She exhaled loudly, grateful to finally be off her feet. She rolled to Robin's side of the bed, burying her face in his pillow to inhale the scent of his shampoo and the natural smell of forest that he could never wash off. It was like the fresh air got caught in his hair and seeped into his skin, the moisture in the air always leaving him smelling like a fresh rainfall. Smiling into the pillow, she shifted her body so she could slide under the blankets. She pulled the covers over her head, enjoying the warmth that surrounded her.

She must have dozed off, for she never heard her bedroom door creak open as Robin got home from work. He came to sit on his side of the bed, and jumped as he made contact with her back, making her grunt in a most unladylike way.

"What the hell," she muttered, her voice muffled by her mountain of pillows and blankets. He laughed as he sat on the edge of the bed, pulling the blankets down to reveal her dishevelled hair and hooded eyes. She looked up at him, still dazed from her nap, and smiled sleepily at him.

"And here I thought this was my side of the bed," he mused, rubbing his hand along her bare back in slow circles.

"Technically, it's my bed, you just get the privilege of my company." She rolled onto her back, taking his hand into her own and pulling him to her. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her puckered lips, then arched back to let his eyes wander her exposed body.

"Well who am I to complain when you're dressed like this." She shoved him lightly, both of them grinning at each other. "Slide over," he nodded to her side of the bed, and she rolled and stretched as he slid under the blankets with her. He kissed up her arm and across her chest, making his way to her stomach where he rested his head, his body laying across her legs.

"So how was dress day?" He hummed into her skin, listening as her responding groan vibrated through her abdomen.

"As mind-numbing as I assumed it would be. Snow's taste really is ungodly." She felt him laugh against her and she couldn't help but smile too. She was sure he was picturing the outfits she had worn while they were in the Enchanted Forest together, when they had first met, and she could already hear his snarky comments about her own wardrobe choices from the past.

They laid together silently for a moment, feeling each other breathing as Regina traced circles across Robin's arm. Eventually his weight became uncomfortable on her aching legs, and she shifted beneath him.

"Are you sore today?" He propped his chin up on her abdomen, gazing up at her face with a hint of concern.

"Not really, more tired than sore. There were a _lot_ of dresses. I see now why people plan weddings over years instead of weeks."

He reached up and rubbed his hand up and down her arm soothingly, smiling as he watched her look back at him. "Don't forget we have a meeting with the caterer tomorrow morning," he reminded her softly.

"Ugh," she rolled her eyes, "catering, flowers, dresses, picking what colour the damn table cloths will be. This is exhausting." She pulled her hands up and rubbed her eyes, then rested her palms on her forehead as she sighed loudly.

"Don't stress, love," he kissed her stomach softly before looking back up at her, "It's not good for _anyone_. You'll light the florist on fire the next time he asks what colour lilies you wanted."

"Well if he'd just remember pink, it wouldn't be such an issue!" She threw her hands onto the bed outstretched in exasperation and felt Robin chuckling on top of her. He lifted himself off of her, pulling his body up to lie next to her.

"Regina," he started, drawing her gaze from the ceiling back to his eyes, "Everything is going to be fine. Two more weeks and all of this pressure will be gone." Her breath caught in her throat, eyes flooding with moisture at the thought of the end of this torture. Two more weeks and she'd be Mrs. Locksley. Her stomached rolled in excitement, and a few tears slipped out of the corners of her eyes.

"Oh love, please don't cry," he ran his thumb across her wet cheeks, slight panic lacing his voice. "I'm sorry. This is probably too much pressure on you." He looked down, guilt washing over his face as he avoided her gaze. He shrugged and breathed, "If you want to postpone the wedding, we can always wait until-"

"Robin," she interrupted, moving her hands to either side of his face to pull his eyes back up to hers, pushing any distress from her face as she whispered, "I don't want to move the wedding. I was _happy_."

Tension left his face as he exhaled, and he chuckled as he pulled her into his chest, her face nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

"Well how am I suppose to distinguish between happy tears and sad tears these days? They both come equally often."

She laughed into his neck, her warm breath tickling his skin. She breathed deeply, happy that inhaling the scent of his skin was much more satisfying than just his pillow.

"I don't want you stressing anymore," he whispered into her hair, "Especially over something as unimportant as flowers or dresses. You've spent enough of your life in pain; I don't want any of that to come from planning our future. Understood?"

She giggled as she rolled out of his embrace, laying flat on her back so he could see her nod. "Of course, your Majesty," she teased, and he rolled his eyes, mirroring the grin that was glued to her face. They stayed quite for a moment, Regina gazing at Robin as he danced his fingers across her bare skin, skimming along the line of her panties or just under her bra. Electricity shot through her nerves with every touch, a fire burning just below her skin.

"I found one," she whispered, sparking his attention.

"Is it going to work?"

"Snow seems to think so. It's loose enough in the stomach that it'll still fit in two weeks."

Robin looked down at Regina's once flat stomach, now softly rounded with the new life she carried inside her. It wasn't enough to be noticeable when she was dressed, but lying here with her skin exposed he could see the swell of the skin below her belly button, filling him with joy whenever he looked at it. Just a small bump, and yet he loved it more and more each passing day, his heart so full of love for their beautiful messy family he swore it might burst.

"It's a good thing we're marrying in this land, I don't think a corset would do our little princess any good."

"Or prince," She reminded him, snorting as he scoffed.

"Oh no, it's definitely a girl. I can see her already. Hair as dark as a raven's feather, eyes the colour of rain kissed earth, and a tiny little bow in her hand." He winked at her as she cocked an eyebrow at him. "She'll be the fairest of them all."

"Ha, ha," she shoved him playfully away from her, and he crawled on top of her, pressing his body against hers gently.

"She'll be as stunning as her mother, and I'll love her with all of my heart."

He slid down and peppered the swell of her stomach with kisses while running his fingers along her sides, making her gasp at the sparks under her skin. She shrieked as he tickled her, twisting beneath him and begging him to stop. She roped her arms around his neck and pulled him against her, making him laugh as he collapsed on top of her. Promising to stop the tickling, he slid back to his place at her stomach, resting his head on her gently while he hugged her hips.

"You know, one of these days you'll put your head there and the baby will kick you, and I'll laugh."


	7. WQ: Regina Heals Zelena

_From an anon prompt on tumblr: when Zelena broke her ankle upon arriving the Underworld and she didn't have any magic to fix it herself, I missed seeing Regina offering to heal it —even if it was reluctant._

* * *

The ear splitting wailing had just about drove Zelena mad, and no amount of bouncing and soothing from Regina or Robin had done anything to calm the baby's cries. Zelena was sprawled across the stiff couch, and she groaned loudly as she pulled a pillow over her head, the pounding behind her eyes distracting her from the sharp aching in her ankle. She could just make out her sister asking Robin to take the baby from her so she could warm another bottle, and she heard a slight hiccup in the baby's cries as she handed her over to the archer.

"Why won't she stop crying?" Zelena said, her voice muffled through the pillow pressed to her face.

"She's probably scared and tired," Regina answered from the kitchen, the fatigue in her voice obvious even from across the room.

"You'd think she'd worked herself up enough to finally pass out," Zelena muttered, pressing the sides of her pillow over her ears.

She heard footsteps approaching her, and she lifted the pillow to see Regina placing a steaming mug on the table in front of her, the smell of green tea wafting to Zelena's nose.

"In case you're still cold," Regina said softly as Zelena moved the pillow under her head, rolling to face her sister with a wince. She grimaced as she lifted her injured leg gingerly, pushing herself off the couch slowly so she could sit up. The old, unused springs creaked under her weight, and she tugged her good leg under her, stretching the sore one out on the empty cushions.

"Why haven't you healed that yet?" Regina wondered aloud, knitting her brow as she tested the warmed bottle on her wrist before handing it to Robin.

"My magic doesn't work here." Zelena slumped as she nestled back into the couch with the mug snug between her hands. The warmth was welcome, but she squeezed her fingers as frustration flickered through her stomach, and she hissed when she accidentally moved her ankle.

Regina looked at Robin as he bounced the screaming baby, and then shrugged as she stepped towards her sister. "Good thing mine does."

She slid into the seat next to Zelena's feet, raising her hands above her sister's leg only to stop as the other woman protested.

"I don't need you to fix it, I'll do it later, once my magic works again." She huffed and recoiled from Regina, pulling her legs towards herself more, slowly this time, avoiding a shock of pain from the movement.

"Don't be stubborn," Regina said, rolling her eyes as she scooted closer to Zelena, "You don't know if you'll get your magic back at all while we're here. It's not as easy as you might think."

"You have yours," Zelena quipped, the statement sounding more like an accusation than a simple fact.

"Yes, well…" Regina trailed off, watching Robin pacing the kitchen as he tried to get his daughter to take her bottle. She chewed her bottom lip as she paused to think, and then shook her head and turned back to Zelena. "Just let me fix your damn ankle. We don't need you hobbling around behind us when we could use your help."

Zelena narrowed her eyes at her sister, fighting her desire to argue with her. She didn't want help, she was quite capable of dealing with this alone, and if worse came to worse she could certainly manage a bum ankle while they looked for a way out of here; she'd dealt with worse before. But, as Regina stared at her, eyebrows raised and eyes wide as she waited for a fight, Zelena gave in and waved her hand in defeat.

Regina stayed silent, biting her tongue on the snarky comment that was probably begging to slip out of her mouth, and raised her hand, a purple glow radiating down to Zelena's injury. The stiffness in her leg instantly disappeared, and she could feel her nerves tingle as the inflamed muscles relaxed. Regina lowered her hand and Zelena rolled her ankle slowly, testing for any twinges of pain before she pushed herself up further, sitting straight enough to rest both feet on the floor.

Robin growled in frustration as the baby spat out her bottle again, and both women turned to look at him, eyebrows rising in unison.

"She's being difficult," Robin remarked, his frustration and exhaustion edging his voice with a sharpness he didn't intend.

"Like mother, like daughter," Regina mused, lifting off the couch to meet Robin in the kitchen, relieving him of the crying baby with a quick peck on his cheek.

"Can I try?" Zelena asked quietly, almost afraid for them to hear her.

The couple paused and looked at her before turning to each other. Robin sighed and rolled his eyes, mumbling something about getting some rest as he walked towards the stairs that lead to the bedroom above them. Regina smiled at her sister as she carried the squirming bundle over to her. She passed the baby over delicately, absently reminding her to watch the baby's neck, and lowered herself back to her seat on the couch.

Zelena cradled her daughter close to her chest, rocking her arms slowly as she whispered down to her. Regina took one of Zelena's hands to nestle the bottle in her palm, and she raised it to the baby's mouth, wiggling the tip slightly against her tiny wailing lips.

Both women sat together cooing to the girl tucked next to Zelena's heart, and the baby calmed as she looked up at her mother and her aunt. She took the bottle into her mouth and sucked sleepily on it, her eyes drooping as she watched the shining pairs of blue and brown eyes above her. Regina slipped her finger into the baby's hand and rubbed her thumb along her tiny fingers.

"Well look at you," Regina nudged her sister with her elbow, "The baby whisperer."

Zelena beamed down at her daughter, love and pride welling behind her eyes and threatening to spill down her cheeks. Without looking at her, she reached over and took Regina's free hand, squeezing it tightly as they sat together in silence. The three Mills women – well, she supposed one of them wouldn't be a woman for some time – held each other in blissful silence, finding a moment of peace in their apartment in hell.


	8. WQ: Diapers

_From the prompt: Wicked Queen – peanut – mayors mansion – diapers – after the UW – "I'll miss him" – "Will you be her godmother?" – mention of Cora._

* * *

"Regina let me do it!"

"You're not doing it right, let me show you."

"I can do it if you just let me!"

"UGH – FINE!"

Regina pushed away from the changing table, throwing her hands up in frustration as Zelena stepped into her place. Robyn kicked and screamed as she lay on the table, and Zelena wrangled the baby's legs, lifting them to slide the diaper under her bottom. Robyn screamed and kicked at her mother, fighting against Zelena's attempt to wrap the sides around the baby's waist.

Regina watched as Zelena tugged the side of the diaper, removing the plastic covering the adhesive tabs, and attached the first before moving to the other side.

"Oh wait, if you-"

"What?!" Zelena barked, and Regina took a step back, raising her hands defensively.

"That's too loose, the diaper will leak."

Zelena groaned and rolled her eyes, pulling the other side of the baby's diaper a little tighter than before, but still placed it too low on her hips.

"Will you just let me show you?" Regina said with a sigh, stepping closer to her sister's side.

Zelena huffed and dropped her shoulders, releasing her hold on the crying baby's legs so Regina could take over, removing the diaper and throwing it away before reaching to grab another one.

Regina moved expertly, quickly lifting Robyn's legs and securing the diaper properly. Zelena watched intently while she placed her finger in her daughter's hand, cooing to the baby to sooth her shrieks. Once she was redressed, Regina lifted Robyn off the table and nestled her in the crook of her arm, bouncing slightly as she rubbed her thumb on her tiny fingers.

"How are you so good at this?" Zelena wondered aloud.

Regina looked up at her, and knitted her brow. "I did raise Henry, I've put a diaper on a baby before."

"No, no, not that," Zelena waved a hand in front of her, "the whole baby thing. All of it. I can't even get my own daughter to stop crying, let alone put that ridiculous diaper on her. How do you do it?"

Regina paused for a minute, the baby slowly falling asleep in her arms, and she shrugged before guiding her sister out of the nursery and down the stairs. "I wasn't always good with babies. Henry hated me for a while."

"Did mother teach you?" Zelena asked gently, as she always did when mentioning Cora.

"Ha, not likely." Regina rolled her eyes as she walked into the living room, Zelena close behind her, and lowered herself to the couch, laying the now sleeping baby out on her thighs so they could look down on her face. "I uh… Mother never told me anything about children. Being queen was far more important to her, and with all the royal training she couldn't be bothered to teach me about something as common as being a mother."

Zelena's brow furrowed. "Didn't she expect you to have a child one day? Isn't that what mothers do?"

Regina felt a twinge of sadness bloom in her belly and she breathed a gentle sigh. "It's… complicated."

Zelena raised her eyebrows, clearly still expecting a response.

"Cora did want me to have a child at one point, but… I was paranoid. I thought she wanted to take my power as queen so… I poisoned myself so I could never have children."

Sadness flooded Regina's eyes, and Zelena watched as her sister struggled to push her emotions down. She couldn't hide that she'd hit a nerve, an old wound that would never heal. Regina tilted her head to look at her sister, watching her eyes as a sudden understanding flashed across her features.

"I… oh god. I'm so sorry." Zelena stumbled over her words, her hands clenching and unclenching in her lap. "You can't have children and I… I wanted to hurt you but I-I didn't…" She couldn't continue, the guilt began forming a knot in her throat, and she swallowed back the tears building in her eyes.

Regina reached over and took her sister's hand, squeezing it lightly. "It's an old pain, and you may have reopened it but…" Zelena frowned further and Regina shook her head, "I've moved on."

Regina smiled softly, hoping her sincerity could shine through her moment of grief, and continued with a laugh, "Besides, when I was raising Henry, I thought mother was dead."

" _What_?" Zelena's eyes widened and her jaw slacked. "Why?"

"Because I hired someone to kill her." Regina shrugged casually, fighting the smile that tried to spread on her face from her sister's reaction. "Hook, actually. But he didn't do it." Zelena sat still and silent, tilting her head and scrunching her nose as she waited for Regina to explain.

"Cora was my weakness, I was her prisoner my whole life, her way to find power, and even when I thought I was free of her, still she tormented me, haunted me, reminded me that I was never good enough. She made me do things I never wanted to do, and I knew that if I was ever going to get my happiness, she needed to be gone from my life forever."

Regina stopped, unsure of her words as she chewed her bottom lip. She knew what having a mother meant to Zelena, and she supposed that admitting to wanting to kill hers was something her sister would not understand. Still, Zelena sat perched on the edge of her seat, leaning towards her sister with glistening eyes and a subtle frown.

"I suppose, in the end, I was grateful that Hook didn't kill her," Regina went on, "Because she was the only family I had left. And despite everything, I really did love her." Regina frowned, and Zelena reached over to take her hand, rubbing her thumb along the back gently.

"It seems this family is destined to constantly be torn apart," Zelena muttered, a slight edge to her voice.

Regina nodded as she looked down at the baby girl curled up on her lap, and ran her fingers through her soft blonde curls. She already looked like Zelena, everything about her long and lean, though she was very much Robin's daughter. She had his hair, and his eyes, and of course his dimples. Though she was yet to speak yet, Regina was certain she would have his sense of humour and bluntness as well. Perhaps she'd even have his laugh, and it could forever echo through her home, filling her heart with his memory for the rest of her life.

"You miss him, don't you?" Zelena breathed, lifting her hand to squeeze her sister's arm. Regina nodded solemnly, pressing her lips together to stop them from quivering. She wished she could express how much she missed him, how she longed to hold him, to hear his laugh, to see the glimmer in his eyes one last time, but words failed her, and instead she bit her tongue, holding her agony on the inside.

"I know I'm not the right person for this…" Zelena started, drawing Regina's gaze from the baby to her light blue eyes, "I know I caused you and Robin more pain than anyone else, but I know now that I was horrible, that I don't deserve your forgiveness, and I don't want to ever go back to the way things were between us. But I do understand how you feel, and you don't have to hold back your feelings with me. You can talk about Robin whenever you want."

Zelena tried to smile, ending up with something closer to a grimace, and Regina laughed to herself as warmth spread through the icy pain that always pinched her heart. "I know, just… not today. But thank you."

She leaned to her side and rested her head on her sister's shoulder. Zelena always had a certain fresh scent to her, like the air after a lightning storm, crisp and sharp and zinging with electricity. It reminded her of Robin, not because they smelled similarly, but because they worked together; rain kissed earth and an electric storm. It made her long for both at the same time.

Zelena shifted beside her, lifting her cheek off of Regina's head and turned to face her. "I don't want my daughter to ever feel like she doesn't have family. You and I have felt alone most of our lives, and should it ever happen again, if I'm taken away from her, I want her to know that she always has you."

Regina's lips tugged down as she watched Zelena stroke her daughter's soft cheek, watching her intently before looking back up at her sister.

"I know you're her aunt, but… Would you be her god mother, too?"

Pride swelled in Regina's chest, blooming behind her eyes as she smiled at Zelena, nodding furiously and pulling her into an awkward hug as she tried to avoid jostling Robyn.

They sat together for a while longer; silently listening to the hushed breathing of the baby nestled on Regina's lap before they were interrupted by Henry and Roland's loud return from school. They were chatting together as they threw their school bags on the kitchen counter, quieting only when they found Regina and Zelena cuddled together on the couch.

The boys came over and plopped themselves down next to the two women, Roland curling into Regina's side to get a closer look at the baby while Henry sat beside Zelena. As they launched into stories about their separate days at school, Regina took in the small moment with her messy family, finding comfort in the fact that Robyn had more family than she would know what to do with, and that her peanut's father was watching them together, now and forever.


End file.
